Sesame Ginger Pasta Salad with Crunchy Vegetables

Serve this pasta at room temperature with a Grüner Veltliner from Domäne Wachau, one of Austria’s best wineries.

Ingredients

8 oz uncooked fusilli pasta

1/4 cup water

2 1/2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

1 1/2 teaspoons ginger root, freshly grated

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

3/4 cup cucumber, English-variety, cut into 2-inch long thin sticks, divided

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1/2 cup sweet red or orange bell pepper, chopped

3/4 cup sliced fresh radishes, thinly sliced and then each slice cut in half, divided

3/4 cup uncooked carrots, thinly sliced diagonally and then each slice cut in half, divided

1/4 cup uncooked scallions, sliced, divided

3 tablespoons peanuts, chopped, divided (optional)

1/4 teapoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

1) Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fusilli and cook until al dente, according to package directions.

2) While pasta is cooking, whisk together water, soy sauce, canola oil, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, sugar and garlic in a large bowl, until blended.

3) Drain pasta and rinse under cold running water. Drain again and mix pasta into soy sauce ginger mixture. Add two-thirds of each of the cucumbers, tomato, bell pepper, radishes and carrots, scallions and peanuts; toss to mix and coat.

4) Sprinkle salad with remaining vegetables and peanuts; sprinkle with red pepper flakes and serve. Yields about 1 cup per serving.